PHOENIX

MODULE V

ADVANCED MECHANICS
T H E O R Y B O O K L E T
Property of Phoenix Education ©
Authors: Zachary Rochecouste, Tahmeed Nabi, Siam Rafiq
Special Thanks: Kaustubh Bhalerao, Frohar Ferdous
Edited and Published by Tahmeed Nabi
PHYSICS MODULE V
YEAR 12 ADVANCED MECHANICS

Table of Contents

1. Projectile Motion 4

1.1. Horizontal and Vertical Components 4

2. Circular Motion 33

2.1. Uniform Circular Motion 33

2.2. Banked Motion 49
2.3. Torque 59

3. Gravitational Motion 69

3.1. Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation 69

3.2. Satellites 78
3.3. Analysing Orbits 82

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Using your Theory Booklet

In Class Examples
Throughout the textbook, there are in-class example sections, marked by the tag. These
questions will be worked through in-class by your tutor.

Be sure to note down the solution provided by your tutor in the lines provided. This will allow
you to have a reference for future questions you attempt.

Exercise Questions
There are also exercise sections, marked by the tag. These questions should be
attempted by you, in-class or in your own time.

Answers for these questions can be accessed on the PhoenixLMS.

lms.phoenixedu.com.au

If you do not have a login and password, please let your tutor know, or email
[email protected].

Once you have logged in, you will see your classes on the right hand side of the homepage:

Click on the class you are enrolled in and scroll down to the workbooks section.

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Click on the green Answers button next to the workbook you want to see answers for.

SQ3R: Using Answers to Learn

To get the maximum benefit from these answers, use the SQ3R method:
1. Survey
Scan through the notes provided in the textbook or other resources, which would be
relevant to the question you are studying.
2. Question
Ask yourself how you would approach the question, what the different components of the
question are, and if you can break a long question into smaller sub-questions.
3. Read
After forming these questions, read the answer and see how the answer provides solutions
to the questions formed in part 2.
4. Recite
Try to recite or rewrite the answer in your workbook, to consolidate your learning
5. Review
Check how well you recited / rewrote the answer, and repeat if necessary.

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1. Projectile Motion
1.1. Horizontal and Vertical Components

 Analyse the motion of projectiles by resolving the motion into horizontal and vertical
components, making the following assumptions:

- a constant vertical acceleration due to gravity

- zero air resistance

 Conduct a practical investigation to collect primary data in order to validate the

relationships derived above.

 Solve problems, create models and make quantitative predictions by applying the
equations of motion relationships for uniformly accelerated and constant rectilinear
motion

 Apply the modelling of projectile motion to quantitatively derive the relationships

between the following variables:

- initial velocity

- launch angle

- maximum height

- time of flight

- final velocity

- launch height

- horizontal range of the projectile

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Vertical Component of Motion

Every projectile considered in this module is assumed to have a constant vertical acceleration
due to gravity

−2
𝑦

Horizontal Component of Motion

There is a constant horizontal velocity, 𝑥 , since there is no opposing force slowing the
projectile down. Typically, we ignore the effect of air resistance.

Figure 1.1.1. Diagram depicting the horizontal (blue) and

vertical (red) velocities of a projectile over time.

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Initial Velocity
From year 11, we have the previous kinematic equations:

2 2

Launch Angle
Launch angle is the angle a projectile is launched and can be applied to the horizontal and
vertical velocity components to create a resultant velocity vector. The angle can be applied
to:

2
𝑥
𝑦

Figure 1.1.2. Diagram showing the splitting of the horizontal and vertical
components of projectile motion

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Time of Flight, Maximum Height and Range

From models of projectile motion more equations can be derived to find the maximum
height, time of flight and range of an object.

Time of flight
Derivation:
𝑣𝑦 = 0 𝑎𝑦 = 𝑔 (𝑎𝑡 𝑚𝑎𝑥 ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡)
𝑣𝑦 = 𝑢𝑦 + 𝑎𝑦 𝑡
0 = 𝑢 sin 𝜃 − 𝑔𝑡 𝑇
𝑢 sin 𝜃
𝑡=
𝑔
Time of flight is double this value, (since
projectile reaches max height halfway)

Maximum Height
Derivation:
𝑣𝑦2 = 𝑢2𝑦 + 2𝑎𝑦 𝑠𝑦 2 2
𝑣2 − 𝑢2 𝑦𝑇
𝑠𝑦 = −
2𝑎
0 − 𝑢2 sin2 𝜃
=−
2𝑔

Range
Derivation:
𝑟𝑥𝑇 = 𝑢𝑥 𝑡𝑇
𝑢 cos 𝜃 ⋅ 2𝑢 sin 𝜃 𝑢2 sin 2𝜃
= 𝑥𝑇 =
𝑔 𝑔
𝑢2 sin 2𝜃
=
𝑔

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IN CLASS

 EXAMPLE 1

A projectile is launched at 60m/s at an elevation of 30°

(a) Calculate the vertical component of its velocity 1

(b) Calculate the time of flight of the projectile 1

(c) Calculate the maximum height of the projectile above its launch position 1

(d) Calculate the range of the projectile 1

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 EXAMPLE 2

A football is kicked with a velocity of 20ms-1 at an angle of 37°. Assume that there is
neither wind assistance nor air resistance

(a) What is the vertical velocity of the football as soon as it has left the player’s foot? 1

(b) What is the maximum height obtained by the football? 2

(c) How far from the player will the football land? 2

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 EXAMPLE 3

A rocket is fired from its launch pad with an initial speed of 80ms-1 at an angle of 35°.
Calculate:

(a) Its total time of flight 3

(b) Its range 1

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 EXAMPLE 4

A plane drops emergency food rations to the Red Cross in Central Africa. The plane is
travelling at 200kmh-1 and keeping at a constant altitude above the flat plains below.

(a) Calculate the final vertical velocity of the food ration just before impact 2

(b) Calculate the plane’s altitude 2

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 EXAMPLE 5

A projectile is launched at an angle of 30° to the horizontal over level ground. It reaches a
maximum height of 50.0m.

(a) By considering its maximum height, find the vertical component of the projectile’s 2
initial velocity

(b) Calculate the time of flight for this projectile 2

(c) Explain how the range of this projectile could be found 2

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 EXAMPLE 6

A helicopter is to drop a rescue package to a group of hikers. The helicopter is travelling

at a speed of 15ms-1 at a constant height of 200m over level ground.

(a) The pilot wants to land the package right beside the hikers. At what horizontal 3
distance, from the hikers must the package be released from the helicopter?

(b) What is the speed of the package just before it hits the ground? 2

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 EXAMPLE 7

A projectile is launched at an angle of with initial speed = 50ms-1 so that it lands on the
target shown in the following diagram (not drawn to scale)

(a) If the projectile takes 5.43 seconds to hit the target, calculate the angle at which it 2
was launched

(b) Calculate the final velocity of the projectile 3

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 EXAMPLE 8

A ski jumper makes a ski jump and is in the position shown below, 2.0s after leaving the
31° jump ramp. He has travelled 26m horizontally in this time

(a) Calculate the magnitude of the skier’s horizontal velocity at the instant shown in the 1
diagram. Ignore air resistance

(b) Calculate the magnitude of the skier’s launch velocity from the end of the ramp 1

(c) What is the magnitude and direction of the skier’s acceleration at the instant shown 3
in the diagram? Justify your answer

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 EXAMPLE 9

The diagram below shows a motorcycle stunt

driven who needs to make the leap, from the top
of a cliff to a point that just clears the shark
infested water. His initial velocity is horizontal.

(a) Calculate the time of flight of the motorcycle 1

(b) Calculate the minimum initial velocity of the motorcycle needed to clear the water 1

(c) Calculate the magnitude and direction of the velocity with which the motorcycle hits 3
the ground, if it starts the leap with the minimum initial velocity calculated in part (b)

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 EXAMPLE 10

A ball bearing is thrown horizontally with an initial speed of 20m/s from the top of a 10m
cliff. When it reaches the ground, it bounces inelastically off the ground and then just
passes through a hole in a nearby wall. A diagram of the arrangement is shown below.

(a) What is the horizontal component of velocity just before the ball bearing collides with 1
the ground?

(b) Calculate the vertical component of velocity just before the ball bearing collides with 1
the ground.

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(c) Find the magnitude of the velocity, 2, of the ball when it rebounds from the ground. 3

(d) If the direction of the velocity of the ball bearing as it passes through the hole is 2
horizontal, find the height of the hole, , above the ground

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EXERCISE

Question 1 (7 marks)

A truck is travelling at a constant speed of 60 kmh-1 on the M5.

(a) How long will it take the truck to travel 100 km? 1

(b) A car 8 km behind the truck is travelling at 120 kmh-1. Determine how long it will take 2
the car to overtake the truck.

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(c) Another car, 10 km behind the truck, accelerates from 0 kmh-1 at a constant rate of 1 3
ms-2. Determine how long it takes this car to overtake the truck.

(d) What is the speed of this car at the point of overtake? 1

Question 2 (3 marks)

A particle with an initial velocity of 10 ms-1 decelerates uniformly at 2 ms-2.

(a) What would the particle’s displacement be after 2 seconds? 1

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(b) Would the particle ever return to its origin? If so, determine at what time this would 2
occur.

Question 3 (3 marks)

Train A leaves Glenfield station at the same time that Train B leaves Minto, both 3
travelling on the same line, towards each other. Train A travels at a constant speed of 30
kmh-1 whereas Train B accelerates at 1 kmh-2, with an initial speed of 30kmh-1. If the
distance between Minto and Glenfield is 15 km, how long until the trains pass by each
other.

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Question 4 (3 marks)

A ball is dropped vertically off the edge of a cliff. At the same time, a ball is thrown 3
upwards from the bottom of the cliff, with an initial velocity of 20 ms-1. If they pass by
each other exactly halfway down the cliff, how tall is the cliff?

Question 5 (2 marks)

A projectile has a horizontal component of velocity equal to 10 ms-1 and a vertical 2

component equal to 5 ms-1. Determine the velocity of the projectile.

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Question 6 (2 marks)

A package is dropped from an aircraft 800 m in the air. The aircraft is moving at 300 ms-1.

Determine the time it will take for the package to land. 2

Question 7 (3 marks)

A sniper is shooting a target 4000 m away. His rifle fires bullets with an initial velocity of 3
1000 ms-1. Determine the angle from the horizontal required to hit the target.

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Question 8 (2 marks)

A man is skydiving from a helicopter at a height of 2000 m. He needs to pull his parachute
at a height of 500 m. The helicopter is still when the man jumps.

Calculate how long the skydiver must wait before pulling his parachute. 2

Question 9 (2 marks)

An Olympic Javelin Thrower runs to the mark with a speed of 8 ms-1. He accidentally
forgets to provide any physical thrust to the javelin, and simply lets it go. It lands in the
ground after 3.2 s.
2
Calculate how far away from the point of release the javelin landed.

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Question 10 (3 marks)

Naruto is running at a wall if height 10 m. He has enough speed to jump perfectly over it,
so that the apex of projection is at the top of the wall. He jumps with an angle of 45° from
the horizontal.

Determine how far back horizontally from the wall Naruto needs to jump to clear the wall. 3

Question 11 (5 marks)

Jason Kendall throws a baseball with a horizontal component of velocity of 25 ms-1. It

takes 3.00 s to come back to its original height.

(a) Calculate its horizontal range. 2

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(b) Calculate its initial vertical component of velocity. 2

(c) Calculate its initial angle of projection, to the nearest minute. 1

Question 12 (5 marks)

A cannon sits on top of a cliff 200 m high. An inexperienced cannoneer aims the cannon
directly at the waterline of a ship he wishes to sink. The ship is 2 km from the cliff and the
muzzle velocity of the cannon is 3600 kmh-1.

(a) Explain why the cannon shell will not hit the ship. 2

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(b) Calculate the impact point of the shell in relation to the ship. 3

Question 13 (3 marks)

A target appears at a distance of 1250 m with the centre of the target at ground level.

Calculate the angle to which the barrel of the rifle should be raised to hit the centre of the 3
target from a prone position. The muzzle velocity of the bullet is 3000 ms-1.

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Question 14 (2 marks)

How long will it take a shell fired from a cliff at an initial velocity of 800 ms-1 at an angle 2
30° above the horizontal to reach the ground 150 m below?

Question 15 (4 marks)

Design an experiment to collect data that can be used to validate the following equation. 4

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Question 16 (8 marks)

A student investigates the projectile motion of a ball using a stroboscopic photograph. He

measures the time taken for the ball to complete its projection as 10.2 seconds, using a
manual stopwatch.

(a) What was the initial vertical speed of the projectile? 2

(b) Calculate the maximum height of the projectile. 1

(c) Explain how the accuracy of this experiment could be improved. 2

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(d) Assess the validity of the student’s investigation. 3

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Question 17 (3 marks)

The table shows the results of an experiment where a ball was rolled along a smooth,
horizontal surface at 15 ms−1 and then over the edge of a 150 m drop. The ball left the
surface and started to fall at time zero.

Time (s) Speed of ball (ms-1)

1 17.92

2 24.68

3 33.01

4 41.97

Assuming the horizontal component of the motion of the projectile does not change, show 3
that the vertical component is uniformly accelerated.

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ADDITIONAL NOTES

Use this space to add your own notes about this topic.

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2. Circular Motion
2.1. Uniform Circular Motion

 Conduct investigations to explain and evaluate, for objects executing uniform circular
motion, the relationships that exist between:

- centripetal force

- mass

- speed

- radius

 Solve problems, model and make quantitative predictions about objects executing
uniform circular motion in a variety of situations, using the following relationships:

- 𝑐
𝑣2
𝑟

- 2𝜋𝑟
𝑇

- 𝑐
𝑚𝑣2
𝑟

- ∆𝜃
𝑡

 Investigate the relationship between the total energy and work done on an object
executing uniform circular motion

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Tangential Velocity
The term uniform circular motion refers to all objects moving in a circle at a constant speed.
These objects still accelerate as they change direction as they move

The velocity is at a tangent to the circle, denoted by:

where:

• : tangential velocity (ms-1)

• : radius (m)

• : period of rotation (s)

Newton’s first law notes that any object undergoing constant motion remains in motion unless
acted upon by an outside force. This doesn’t include change in direction but does infer that a
force is being applied to the object.

This force is the centripetal force, which is the

force directed towards the centre of the circle.
This force is applied at 90° to the tangential
velocity and can be seen along the radius.
There is a reaction force to this centripetal
force, which is the tension in the string as it
exerts a force on the spinning mass.

Figure 2.1.1. The centripetal force and velocity

of an object in uniform circular motion

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Centripetal Force and Acceleration

The instantaneous acceleration of an object can be calculated by finding the rate change of
velocity compared to the radius. This acceleration is the centripetal acceleration which is
experienced in uniform circular motion. This acceleration must always be perpendicular to
the object’s tangential velocity, and towards the centre of rotation.

where:

• : acceleration (ms-2)

• : tangential velocity (ms-1)

• : radius of motion (m)

From year 11, F=ma as outlined in Newton’s second Law shows the relationship between an
object’s mass and its acceleration to give the Force applied. In circular motion, this applies as
well substituting a in F=ma as follows:

2
𝑐

where:

• 𝑐 : centripetal force (N)

• : mass of object (kg)

• : tangential velocity (ms-1)

• : radius of motion (m)

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Angular Velocity
Firstly, angular displacement is the angle an object moves on the circular path. This angle
is in radians between initial and final positions. This then forms the angular velocity which is
the rate of change of the angular displacement given in radians per second, as shown by:

where:

• : angular velocity (rads-1)

• : angular displacement (rad)

• : time (s)

• : frequency of rotation (Hz)

• : period of motion (s)

Energy and Work in Uniform Circular Motion

• The kinetic energy of a mass in uniform circular motion is dependent
on the magnitude of its velocity only. In uniform circular motion, the
linear velocity of the mass remains the same, and therefore no work
can be done since the displacement is zero. This is shown further by
the fact the force acts at °, so .

• As the uniform circular motion occurs in a horizontal circle, the potential energy of the
mass remains the same at all points.

• Thus the total energy remains the same in uniform circular motion. This can be applied
to cases where these properties are interrelated, especially in the common rollercoaster
question.

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Cars moving around Horizontal Circular Bends

At A, the car has a constant velocity but as it
approaches B, the car requires a force to turn it.
The car gives a force to the centre of the radius
and the road gives an equal and opposite force
back to hold it in circular motion. Thus the
centripetal force is balanced by the frictional
force.

Hence, the force of friction acts horizontal to the road. And the weight and normal force
don’t contribute to the centripetal force as they act vertically.

To calculate the necessary frictional coefficient, the following relationships may be used:

2
𝑓
2
𝑁
2

Figure 2.2.1. Free body diagram of forces acting on

the car from side view (left) and top view (right)

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Mass on a String
A diagram representing a ball on a string is anchored at the origin, (centre). This ball
swings horizontally from this point and causes a tension force, 𝑻 , in the rope. This keeps
the ball in circular motion.

Circular motion occurs because the ball is moving fast enough

that each time the centripetal force pulls on the string at ,
the velocity, , moves it slightly further around the circular
path. In horizontal circles, the weight force and normal force
do not contribute to the circular motion as they are different
components.

To find 𝑇 , use 𝑇 2
, since the tension force acts in
the same direction as centripetal forces do. If the rope
would break, it would fly off at a tangent to the circular
Figure 2.2.2. Free body diagram of
motion according to Newton’s 1st law.
forces acting on the mass on a string

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